2013 Toyota Matrix

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2013 toyota matrix Reviews and News

2013 Toyota Matrix

By
Automobile Magazine
- 01/31/2013

New For 2013

A new stereo with iPod connectivity is standard for 2013.

Overview

The Matrix, like the Corolla on which it’s based, is getting on in years. Round air-conditioning vents serve as a reminder that the Matrix was in fact developed back when Pontiac was a going concern and sold the nearly identical Vibe. More important, its fuel economy falls behind that of other compact hatches like the Subaru Impreza, which has standard (versus the Matrix’s optional) all-wheel drive. Still, the Matrix has some basic virtues. The view inside is inoffensive, with the sort of well-thought-out ergonomics we’ve come to expect from Toyota. The cabin betrays its age (the Matrix was last redesigned for 2009) in the quality of its plastics, but Toyota has updated it this year with standard iPod connectivity and an optional color display. Toyota markets the Matrix as a somewhat sporty, youthful vehicle and offers a selection of Toyota Racing Development performance parts—including a limited-slip differential and performance brake pads—to increase the excitement. In truth, the Matrix’s low base price and reputation for dependability are what make it a safe bet for a young person’s first vehicle. Just take a look at the Impreza (or the related Subaru XV Crosstrek) before you make a decision.

Safety

Front, side, and side curtain air bags; ABS; traction and stability control; and a tire-pressure monitoring system are standard.

You'll like:

Crossover attributes

Compact-car price

Good fuel efficiency for a utility vehicle

You won't like:

Boring to drive

Dated styling

Key Competitors For The 2013 Toyota Matrix

The Toyota Matrix hatchback has been discontinued in the U.S. market for the 2014 model year. Toyota cites dwindling demand for the Corolla-based hatch, and says that the company will not sell a new Matrix-like vehicle based on the 2014 Corolla.

Toyota has been aggressively refreshing and renewing most of its entire model line. However, the future of the aging Matrix remains uncertain, and a new report suggests the company may simply drop the Corolla-based hatchback from its U.S. lineup in the near future.
We can't say that we're terribly surprised by the Automotive News report, which quoted Toyota division boss Bill Fay saying "If we don't have the Matrix, it won't be the end of the world." The Matrix has long been an outlier in Toyota's lineup – the compact hatch bodystyle is not one that sells well in the U.S. and the car has no counterpart in other markets. (Toyota does sell the Auris hatch elsewhere, but it's not related to the Matrix.) However, the Matrix is also rumored to live on in Canada. The first-generation Matrix debuted in 2003 and was part of a California manufacturing tie-up between Toyota and General Motors; the Matrix was twinned with the Pontiac Vibe. The current, second-generation Matrix came out in 2009 and has seen minimal change since.
Fay also told AN to expect a revised Tundra and an updated Highlander next year, along with the new Corolla, Avalon, and RAV4; missing from that list is the Matrix hatch. We've already seen the RAV4 and driven the Avalon. We've already spotted the 2014 Corolla out testing, but only in sedan guise. We should see the all-new Corolla at January's Detroit auto show and not with a Matrix hatchback by its side. The Tundra and Highlander will come later in the year; however, a source confirmed to us that the Tundra's updates will be purely aesthetic and quite minimal – don't expect to see any updates to the truck's powertrains. Fay also confirmed to AN that Scion will show off replacements for the ageing xB and xD hatches at the New York show in late March, which will also help to plug the hole left by the Matrix.
Source: Automotive News (Subscription required)

In an example of fine-tuning its product lineup to regional tastes, Toyota unveiled its new Auris and Verso models at the 2012 Paris Motor Show. The Auris is a five-door hatch closest in size to the U.S.-spec Matrix, with the Auris being a seven-seater C-segment people hauler, similar in size and mission to the Mazda 5, and Ford's C-Max Grand, not sold in the U.S. A new variant for the Auris range is the Touring Sports model that adds another 11 inches for a more traditional wagon, or "estate" profile.

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